Berri Slams al-Mustaqbal, Rejects to Budge an Inch on Parliamentary Dispute
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri rejected on Wednesday to budge an inch on his call for a two-day parliamentary session, holding on to the agenda of the session and rejecting any pressure exerted on him to modify it.
“I presume that the legal quorum will be provided during Wednesday’s session after the Free Patriotic Movement's positive stance,” Berri said in an Interview with As Safir newspaper.
He pointed out that he is keen to ensure that all the Lebanese parties are present at any legislative session.
FPM leader MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc agreed after its weekly meeting in Rabieh to reactivate the work of the parliament “as there are social priorities that need to be addressed.”
Aoun's bloc has boycotted previous calls by Berri to attend legislative sessions over the speaker's failure to include his bloc's items on the session's agenda.
Berri slammed in his comments to As Safir the statement issued by al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday, stressing that “al-Mustaqbal and its allies insistence to boycott the parliament and paralyze the legislative work is harming people's interest.”
“This team has no problem in interpreting the constitution according to its needs,” the speaker said.
“The fate of the country depends on the formation of the cabinet,” he added.
The controversial two-day legislative session that Berri called for is set to discuss 45 items on its agenda, the same session that has been boycotted for five times since July over differences on whether the parliament can convene amid a resigned government or not.
The previous sessions were boycotted by the March 14 coalition, caretaker PM Najib Miqati and Aoun's bloc.
Miqati and the March 14 alliance argue that the parliament can only discuss urgent items amid a resigned cabinet.
Head of al-Mustaqbal Parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora told reporters after talks with Berri, on the sidelines of a session set to elect the parliament's bureau committee members and the parliamentary committees members, that Wednesday's session is “unconstitutional.”
Berri described the boycott as a “disguised dictatorship.”
“I've informed them (Miqati and Saniora) that the resignation of the premier should not block the work of the government and the parliament,” he noted.
Berri said that he proposed to Saniora to hold the session according to the announced agenda but “as a speaker I would postpone the voting on the draft-laws that al-Mustaqbal bloc rejects.”
“But the response was negative,” he told As Safir.
23 October 2013, 08:38
96
When march 14 were in a "national unity governement " and hezbollah and co. boycoted the governement because of the international tribunal Berry close parlement door for monthes that was legitimate and constitutional then....
After kicking march 14 out of the governement and failling to put in place a productive governement (even mikati resigned..) now there are blocking the formation of a new gov (they just want march 14 for a nice cover of the gov but keeping all their previous positions 1/3, portfolios..) and berry want to open parlementary session as if nothing was happening..
In few monthes we wont have a president even and if berry succed in opening the parlement sessions he will be taking also de facto the role of the presidency (provided it has any role beside a moral one, but even this they cannot support..)
Really Mr berry i admire ur view of democratie and constitution....
23 October 2013, 15:03
40
I critize berri for making everything to take contril of the country with hezbollah and co. refraining from going to session especially when there is valid excuse is a right, closing the parlement doors bc amal and hezbollah quit the governement over international tribunal is another... Especially that they did after a governement without the majority of the sunnies and that was constitutional... Don't take me wrong i'm with a ruling majority with a minority in the opposition whoever it is but berri double standards make me sick...
23 October 2013, 08:53
96
is there anyone that believes a word Berri says?
does he have any credibility left?
he is the main destroyer of the constitution, twisting it the way he wants and when it suits him.
m8 are enraged by m14 for standing up to them in spite of their weapons.
23 October 2013, 15:05
12
This is not important, what is important is to drill for oil in the south, now that the south lebanon money from "majless el janoub" is gone, drilling for oil is the priority...
23 October 2013, 23:59
00
OK, the speaker's party will do whatever Iran wants, on the other hand we've got the glorious KSA, and there are those who blame Israel when it benefits them instead of articulating where the Israeli blame should be and fighting for a solution to the Palestinian mess. So yes, these people do not make any sense and it is very frustrating because these suppressive people are serving foreign agendas. In the past, the politicians who truly cared about the "Wattan" were daemonized, outcasted to the fringes of what was still deemed as patriotic, thus paving the road for future assassinations with immunity.
23 October 2013, 23:59
00
So, wake up since these politicians supported by a significant well to do and connected cross section of their respective community are serving foreign interests, anything a patriotic person says or attempts to do would directly conflict with these warlord's interests and will try to convince you that it conflicts with national interest because their view, which is to serve foreign interest, is the national interest for your benefit.
